We Ain't Just Newsies No More
by Misty8
Summary: Rewritten and Chapters Added The Manhattan girls and the Brooklyn girls have never gotten along with each other, but now it reaches the pinnacle of their loathing. And what happens when Spot gets caught in the middle between his girls and the girl?
1. Carrying the Banner

We Ain't Just Newsies No More  
  
1- Carrying the Banner (Jewels)  
  
"Wake up Jewels!" I heard someone yell in my ear, but I just ducked my head under the covers.  
  
"Leave me alone Jack. Don't ya know to let sleeping girls lie?" I mumbled half-asleep at my pillow.  
  
"Up and at em', come on Jewels, we had to be up five minutes ago, but we decided to give you girls an extra five minutes," said Racetrack, coming over.  
  
"And it sure was nice of ya. Just give us about five hours more, please!" I heard Star yell back, her voice muffled from her blanket..  
  
"Girls, we do have to get going. . ." Doll answered starting to sit up.  
  
"Traitor. . ." Mouse mumbled grumpily as we both sat up.  
  
"All right then. Guys you can leave," I said, and with that, Jack and Racetrack left to get ready for a days worth of selling..  
  
My name is Amy Donavon, but I'm called 'Jewels'. Racetrack gave me that nickname two years ago, because I always wear a small necklace that my Mother gave me before she died about seven years ago. I'm also newsie. So are Jack, Racetrack, Star, and everyone else here at the Newsie's Lodging House. There are about fifty guys in the next room, but only us five girls in here. That's Star, Gumdrops, Mouse, Doll, and me, Jewels. I've been a newsie for about five years now. I was the first Manhattan girl newsie, but Mouse followed soon after. I'm seventeen years old, the oldest of the girls, because even though Star is seventeen, I'm still a few months older. Gumdrop's the youngest girl. She's only eleven, and the newest to the newsies, but she's the sweetest girl I've ever met.  
  
"Hiya Jewels!" I heard Mush call at me as I exited the lodging house.  
  
"Hiya Mush, how ya been?" I asked turning around.  
  
"Great, thanks," he replied smiling.  
  
I walked with Mush and Doll to the Distribution Office that morning. We are all good friends here. We kind of have to be to be able to put up with each other, especially if you happen to have to live in the boarding house.  
  
"50 papes Wisel. . .", "100 papes, Weasel. . .", "20 papes Mr. Wisel . . ." We heard the familiar calls and noises as we approached. Yep, it's business as usual today.  
  
"40 papes Mr. Wisel," I replied stepping onto the platform. I paid for my papes and Star, Racetrack and I went down to South Street to start selling the headlines.  
  
"Extra! Extra! Man killed in Down Town Brooklyn! Said to be work of gangs!" I yelled out into the street as two business men came up to me. I sold the both of em' a paper and started walking.  
  
"So Jewels, are you coming with me to the tracks today? I've got a hunch on the fourth," Race asked.  
  
"Again?" I asked, trying desperately to conceal my laughter.  
  
"Hey! It's a sure thing this time," he added defensively.  
  
I laughed, "I can't anyway. I've got some business to take care of."  
  
"What business?"  
  
"Brooklyn business," I answered smiling. 


	2. Brooklyn Business

Chapter 2- Brooklyn Business (Spot)  
  
"Where you going, Conlon?" asked Jones Boy, my kind of second-in-command.  
  
"Is' got Manhattan business," I answered.  
  
"What kind of business?"  
  
"None of ya business business," I replied walking away. The Manhattan newsies are the only ones who know what I'm up to, thanks to Amy who has a hard time keeping her mouth shut. The sun was setting and I was off to meet her in an alley between the Manhattan territory and Brooklyn. I couldn't tell any of my crew what this meeting was about. Jones Boy, Hawk, Shadow, Black Widow, I couldn't tell any of em'.  
  
"We've got to stop meeting like this," I heard her say as I walked into the alley.  
  
"No, I kinda like it," I replied, walking up to her and kissing her gently. This is what I couldn't tell the gang. I loved this girl, I had loved her since I met her a few years ago, and she loved me back. But if anyone was looking for a way to get rid of me as a leader, and plenty of newsies were, the only was to get to me was to get to her.  
  
"How come I ain't got to see ya at all this week?" I asked, kissing her again.  
  
"You know Jack; he treats me like I was his little sister."  
  
"Yeah, maybe I should talk to him."  
  
"Go ahead; it ain't gonna help at all. He's as worried about us being all secretive as you are," and with that her wide smile turned into a frown. "Ya' know, I'm beginning to really hate this secrecy," she said as she slid down the wall to sit and lean up against the bricks.  
  
I did the same, and put my arm around her, playing with a strand of her beautiful brown hair. "Ya know why though, don't ya?" I asked reassuringly. "If anyone else knew, even my own Brooklyn, then who knows what would happen to ya? Queens and Harlem are ready to try and take over Brooklyn and Manhattan. It's bad enough that you let the Manhattan newsies find out, not that I don't trust em', but you know that the only way anyone can really get to me is through you."  
  
She gave a small laugh, "Is that the great leader of Brooklyn with fear in his voice?"  
  
I tossed my head back and laughed, "Never, woman." She laughed with me. "And you know, if Black Widow found out, she'd kill you," I went on. I shuddered inside, because even I couldn't stand her, she was like ice. No one knows much about her except she sells her papes and does it well. She was a good fighter, and that's the only reason I kept her as a newsies. There's a bad rumor going around that she killed her own parents, and though all of us talk big, none of us would kill anyone.  
  
"I can take her," she said defensively.  
  
"Amy," I started, "you and I know both know that she could soak ya in her sleep."  
  
"Yeah, Michael," she said irritably. "We've yet to see that happen."  
  
"Well, I'd count that as a blessing if I was ya'."  
  
We stayed and talked and argued until the sun was about ready to set, so we parted ways with another kiss and headed in the direction of our own lodging houses.  
  
"Where was ya, Spot?" asked Jones Boy standing outside the front doors, as if he had been waiting for me to return.  
  
It annoyed me. "If ya ask me that again, I'm going to make sure ya' can't ask anymore questions for at least a week," I answered angrily and with clenched fists. I didn't like to answer questions, and Jones Boy had been acting suspicious all week. I brushed it off as I walked into the center of the room.  
  
"Hiya boys!" I said as they all sat up from their bunks. "We've been invited to come watch a vaudeville play if ya' all's like to come."  
  
"Yeah, Spot yeah!" I heard them all yell. Everyone loved going to see Medda perform, including me.  
  
"Who invited us?" Hawk asked suspiciously.  
  
"Manhattan, do ya have a problem with that?" I snapped. He just held up his hands in defense and walked off to get ready. We had to look atleast presentable at the thearter. So did I, I loved going to see a play with the Manhattan newsies. Besides, I needed to talk to Jackie-boy. 


	3. Give My Regards to Broadway

Chapter 3 – Give My Regards to Broadway (Star)  
  
"Hey Star, do ya have a skirt I can wear?" Doll asked me, walking into our room.  
  
"Yeah, it's under my bunk," I answered. Doll was always the one to get dressed up every time we went to one of Medda's plays. I put my only other dark grey skirt and we went out into the foyer to wait for the boys.  
  
"Hello Star," I saw Kid Blink come down the stairs.  
  
"Hey Blink," I answered smiling. "Blink? Would you answer me a question? I've always wondered this..."  
  
"Yeah," he answered, though looking distrustful. "What is it?"  
  
"How did you get your eye patch?" I asked pointing at it.  
  
He grinned his playful grin. "You'll never know..."  
  
I laughed as Cowboy came down the stairs. "Are you all ready?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, we's ready Jack," answered Racetrack.  
  
I noticed an unusually wide smile on Jack's face so I asked him about it. "You's been to see Medda a hundred times, what's made you so happy about this trip?"  
  
"Sarah's gonna be there," he answered smugly. I smiled too. I like Sarah, all the girls did. She was Les's older sister and Jack's girlfriend so we saw so much of her it was almost like she was our sixth girl newsie.  
  
"Les! Gumdrops! It's time to go!" Mush yelled. The two eleven year olds ran out of the bunk where they usually play marbles. They were best friends, because they were also the two youngest. And since Les's older brother David left to go to school last year. I was so jealous. I wanted to go back to school, but since my parents died, I had to fend for myself here.  
  
"Hey Jackie-boy! Are we supposed to wait for the Brooklyn newsies here or we's gonna meet them there?" asked Boots.  
  
"Neither," we all heard behind us as we turned around and saw Spot Conlon and his Brooklyn newsies standing outside our doors.  
  
"Spots, ya early!" Jack exclaimed.  
  
"Yeah, well we didn't want to miss anything important," Spot answered back with his trademark smoothness.  
  
I stole a glance at Jewels, who was fighting hard not to smile, but losing the battle. Then, that Brooklyn girl Cheetah walked over to Conlon and wrapped her arms around his neck, flirting shamelessly.  
  
"Are we going?" she whispered to Spot audibly. Jewels did not look pleased, but she endured just the same. It's amazing what you can pick up when you really watch people. I saw Spot apologize to my best friend just through his eyes. She gave a knowing, half-smile back, probably saying that it was okay.  
  
He shrugged off Cheetah and we all made our way a couple of blocks down to the theater down the street.  
  
"Hello Newsies!" Medda greeted us from onstage a little while later. The boys whistled back in reply.  
  
"Give my regards to Broadway,  
  
Remember me to Harold Square.  
  
Tell all the gang at Forty-Second Street,  
  
That I will soon be there!" She started in song and soon everyone was singing with her.  
  
"Whisper of how I'm yearning,  
  
To mingle with the old time throng.  
  
Give my regards to old Broadway,  
  
And say that I'll be there ere long!" 


	4. What's Ours is Not Yours

Chapter 4 – What's Ours is Not Yours (Cheetah)  
  
"Wake up Cheetah!" I felt a pillow slap me in the face.  
  
"Okay, okay, okay!" I answered, trying to avoid the typical morning assault routine.  
  
". . . and I tells ya if I see any of those Manhattan newsies selling on our streets again . . ." I heard Shadow threaten at Hope from the next bunk over.  
  
"You'll do what? You can't even soak that little Gumdrop!" I laughed, interrupting her ranting and bragging.  
  
"You'll see Cheetah, and I mights even give yous a good soakin' while I'm at it!"  
  
"Yeah, yeah. . ." I repeated sarcastically, rolling my eyes.  
  
  
  
"Hello Mr. Dean!" I heard Hope exclaim as she reached the distribution office, with her usual annoying cheerfulness.  
  
"50 papes Mr. Dean," I said as I put my three dimes down on the desk.  
  
"Anything good today Zero?" I asked, referring to the paper as I sat down.  
  
"Nah, only thing is that mayor visited some of them dog pounds. That'd be good for some improvisation."  
  
"Then let's go," we started walking to our usual selling spot. When we neared it, I heard some shouting. "Extra! Extra! Mayor bitten by rabid dog!" When we reached the spot, I saw two of the Manhattan newsies, Mouse and Star, standing there.  
  
"What'd ya think ya doing?" Zero asked bluntly.  
  
"Selling papes," Mouse answered smartly.  
  
"Wipe that smug look of ya face before I's soak it off!" I snapped, trying to frighten the girls off before anything real got started.  
  
"Oh yeah?" asked Star taking a step closer.  
  
"Yeah," I answered mimicking her one step. "We've been selling on this same street corner for six months!" I was mad, but I didn't want to start a fight  
  
"That'd be hard to do seeing how Brooklyn territory is was down that way," answered Mouse pointing up the street we came, taking a step up too.  
  
"That's it! That's the end of it! I's sick of you's Manhattan broads takin' over Brooklyn land! Let's have it out. Right here, right now," said Zero, uncharacteristically stepping up to where she was toe-to-toe with Mouse.  
  
Mouse just brushed her off, "You's think we're gonna fight you right here on the street? When the bulls could come in and arrest all of us?"  
  
"No, we'll fight you in a month's time. Manhattan's girls versus Brooklyn's girls, so it's like a fair fight. Brooklyn accepts?" finished Star, spitting in and extending her hand for me to shake.  
  
Should I? Spot certainly wouldn't be pleased. Manhattan's always been our closest ally; he wouldn't want us to mess that alliance up. But I can't take Manhattan trying to push us around anymore, even off our own streets. "Brooklyn accepts," I spit in my hand and shook hers. She nodded and her and Mouse left.  
  
"What did we just get into here?" asked Zero, sounding a little nervous.  
  
"The truth?" I asked and she nodded. "I has no idea." 


	5. What Did You Do

Chapter 5 – What Did You Do (Cowboy)  
  
"Ya agreed to what?!?" I exclaimed, sitting down in my chair at Tibby's diner. Surely I had misheard them.  
  
"Cool down Jack. It's just a soakin' of our girls versus the Brooklyn girls," Star said coolly. I shook my head in disbelief. I knew are girls weren't smart, but come on, who is that stupid to go fighting with the toughest gang in New York?  
  
"Ya're insane!" Crutchy cried. "Ya can't go messing with them Brooklyns!"  
  
"What's the matter?" Doll asked. "You's guys don't think we can take them?"  
  
"Well, yeah... ya can probably give em' a decent fight at least, but it's the point of da matta," answered Blink.  
  
"And what about Black Widow? Do one of ya' girls actually want to pick a fight with her? She could kill ya and not think twice about it," Boots exclaimed.  
  
"I can take her," Mouse answered, almost looking offended, like I had belittled her fighting skills.  
  
"No, you's can't," I answered back. They were crazy, insane. Every time some gang, Harlem, Bronx, or Queens, starts causing trouble, it's Manhattan and Brooklyn who team together to fight. Why did the girls want to ruin this? Spot Conlon and I have a close friendship that needs to be protected. Spot has an all or nothing, friends or enemies policy that I did not want to find Manhattan on the wrong side of.  
  
"Yes I can, and besides we's still have a month to get ready, plenty of time," Mouse spat back.  
  
"What possessed ya's two to organize a brawl against them anyway?" asked Race sitting down next to me.  
  
"We can't take our being pushed around anymore. Brooklyn thinks that they own everyone and everything south of Midtown. We've got to show them that they's ain't the king and queens of New York!" Star answered back forcefully.  
  
I nodded slowly, understanding. Their constant fighting and bickering was common knowledge to all Newsies, even the ones outside of Manhattan and Brooklyn. "Yeah, I agree with ya on that. Them Brooklyn girls do get on ya's nerves a lot, this is something I already know," I agreed, then I took a deep breath and looked at each one of the girl newsies that were present. "But if we sever ties with them Brooklyn girls, then we trash the alliance between all of Manhattan and Brooklyn. It's all or nothing with Spot. And do ya' really want to get on Spot Conlon's bad side?  
  
"We'll soak anyone who stands in our way," put in Mouse, standing up as if she was trying to tower over me while I was sitting at my table. She gave me a look as she finished her bold statement. "And if that means we soak Spot Conlon, then so be it."  
  
Race stood up from his seat beside me so that he was toe to toe with Cheetah. The tension in the room became so thick, I was having trouble catching my breath. These girls were angry and they knew it too. But that still didn't make it a good idea. It was the most terrible idea I've ever heard, in fact. Racetrack and Cheetah continued to eye each other menacingly before Race finally spoke.  
  
"Would you mind being the one who tells that to Jewels?" 


	6. You Can Find Bliss in Ignorance

Chapter 6 – You Can Find Bliss in Ignorance (Spot)  
  
"I love you Amy," I whispered softly into her ear.  
  
"I love you too Michael," she whispered back smiling from her current position of lying in my lap with her head pressed against my chest.  
  
We just sat there and held each other in silence for a long while. I just kept thinking about how perfect a person she was. I knew it was tough for her to keep our relationship silent, but she did anyways. She was so perfect in everything about her, from her dark brown hair and her vivid green eyes, to the way she smiles at me when she thinks no one's looking. It hurts me to think about all the things she had to go through when she was younger. If I ever found any of them men who hurt her, I would kill them, I swear.  
  
I looked up at the slowly setting sun. "It's gettin' late, I probably better go." I started to get up but I felt her grab onto my arm tightly. I turned and looked back at her.  
  
"No, stay just a little bit longer. Nobody cares about what time I come in."  
  
"Cowboy would care."  
  
"I don't care about Cowboy," she looked in my eyes. "All I care about right now is you."  
  
I pulled her up to me and kissed her softly. I stayed an hour or so after that, until it was too dark to stay. I didn't come back to the lodging house until almost midnight.  
  
"Spot, we got a problem," said Jones-Boy when I walked in.  
  
"Then take care of it," I answered simply and starting walking into my bunkroom.  
  
"No, I can't. Cheetah and Zero agreed to an all out brawl between our girls and the Manhattan girls," I stopped and closed my eyes and turned around at Jones-Boys answer. Our girls were always itching to fight the Manhattan girls, and they finally found their chance.  
  
"That ain't a problem though," Zero quickly put in. "We can soak all those Brooklyn scabs easy."  
  
"Yeah we could," agreed Jones-Boy thoughtfully.  
  
I turned around and gave him a hard look, "I's seemed to remember old Jackie-boy giving you a good soakin' last month when you cheated during the poker game."  
  
"Yeah, but this is just the girls. They can beat em' easy," he added with a hint of defensiveness in his voice.  
  
"Not necessarily," Hawk argued. "Them girls are tough, and they want this to be a one-on-one fight. Who's going to fight who?"  
  
"Well, I'll take Mouse," Cheetah said forcefully. It was common knowledge that the two hated each other. They've made it a routine when if one of them starts walking down the street, the other spits in her path.  
  
"I'll take little Miss Star," Zero threatened.  
  
"I'll fight Doll," Hope volunteered.  
  
"Great, a hair pulling contest," Shadow murmured. I laughed, half- heartedly. These girls were always getting on each others nerves.  
  
"Who left?" Cheetah thought aloud. "What about Jewels?"  
  
My chest clenched, I had forgotten for a moment that she would be fighting. Then I relaxed as I remembered that she was the best girl fighter in all of Manhattan. I hadn't seen her whipped by a newsie yet, girl or boy. She wasn't in any real danger.  
  
"I'll take her," replied Black Widow stepping out of the darkness.  
  
Oh no . . . I couldn't say anything although I wanted to scream it out. Black Widow would kill Amy if she had a chance. I know it; she was that kind of fighter.  
  
"So when's all this happening?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant, and trying desperately to ignore the voice in my head that was screaming for me to put a stop to this.  
  
"Exactly one month from today," answered Cheetah. I had to warn Amy, I had to tell her what she was up against, she undoubtedly had found out about the fight now, but I knew for a fact that Black Widow fights to the death, and I didn't want it to be Amy. I'd kill myself before I'd let it be Amy.  
  
"Spot?" I heard someone call my name to wake me up out of my desperate thoughts.  
  
"What?" I snapped back menacingly.  
  
"Nothing, you's just blanked out for a minute," Hawk said with an air of nervousness in his voice. This is what I had built my reputation for, to be able to get out of moments like these without much explanation.  
  
"I's just tired. Is that enough for all of you?" I fumed angrily, but just enough to let them know that they had to leave me alone. The gang all broke apart and I went back to my room and lied on my bunk thinking about what I could do to stop the fight. 


	7. Tibby's Diner

Chapter 7 – Tibby's Diner (Mouse)  
  
"You agreed to what?" asked Jewels, sitting down.  
  
"An all out fight between our girls and Brooklyn's girls," I stole a glance at Cowboy and he still didn't look happy as I said it.  
  
"Jewels, you're covered. You're the best girl fighter in all of New York!" Star answered, and fired a look at me, almost daring me to argue that.  
  
"I know, but... why do we have to fight?"  
  
"What's up with you?" I asked annoyed and angered. This wasn't the way she normally acted. Spot was getting to her, changing her, and I didn't like it. "Ever since Spot got his claws in you, you ain't been the same. You've turned into some pathetic wimp." It was harsh I know, but she's been so out of it lately. She's so day-dreamy, and it's sickening. How can you get all worked up over a boy? I took a look at her and for a second, I saw the old Jewels. Her eyes looked like they were on fire and her fist were clenched tight, but then I heard a voice behind me.  
  
"Claws? What claws? Do you see any claws here Jones-Boy? Hawk?"  
  
"No, Spot. I ain't seen any claws," Hawk answered smugly.  
  
"Now, Jewels. I wasn't aware that you had such a large crush on me," Spot laughed impressively, while my back was still turned.  
  
She spit on the ground in true Jewels fashion. "Keep wishing Conlon. I ain't one of ya scabbin' Brooklyn girls, and I ain't evah gonna be. Ya don't impress me in da least."  
  
He clutched his chest in mock pain, "Ow, dat huits, really huits Jewels. . ."  
  
"Which brings us back to why we're here," Jones-Boy interrupted. Spot gave him a hard look for interrupting him.  
  
"Cheetah and Zero have asked us to come as ambassadors, and give you girls the one on one lineup for the fight," Hawk went on.  
  
"So, go on with it," Doll replied.  
  
"Hope will take on you, Doll. Cheetah will fight Mouse. . "  
  
I laughed internally. Cheetah ain't nothing.  
  
"Zero will fight with Star, and Black Widow will fight Jewels."  
  
"What about me? Who do I fight?" Gumdrops asked, standing up, toe-to-toe with the infamous Brooklyn leader with her arms crossed her chest.  
  
"Sorry Gumdrops, but we's don't have any girls who're tough enough to fight you," Spot grinned, playing along. She just turned around angrily and stomped back to her seat.  
  
"Hey Spot, can we talk to ya's alone?" asked Jack.  
  
Spot looked at Jones-Boy and Hawk. "Go on back, I may be here a while."  
  
They nodded silently and left. Then, he nodded to Racetrack, to make sure that they had indeed left. When Race came back in, Jewels walked up to Jack and Spot.  
  
"Thanks Jacky-boy," Spot said, because Jack had only asked him to stay back as a favor to Jewels. I could've thrown up. Jewels was back to being the same, sticky-sweet girl she'd been for a year now. I just missed the old, tough Jewels.  
  
"I's gotta tell you two," Blink started. "Dat was a fine job of acting. It would make Medda proud."  
  
They laughed. It was nothing new, but the laughing didn't last long.  
  
"Jewels, I need to tell ya. I's don't want ya fightin'," Spot said calmly, looking at her.  
  
I snorted, "That makes two of ya."  
  
"Ignore her," Jewels cocked her head at me. "I's fightin'."  
  
"No ya ain't."  
  
"Yeah, I am. I already says that I can take Black Widow."  
  
"Just because ya said it, don't mean it can happen." Then he looked around the diner, as if had forgotten for a second that we were all there, listening to him.  
  
"What ya lookin' at?" he asked menacingly, threateningly. He was back to the fearless Brooklyn leader for a second, but only for a second, because when Spot and Jewels were together, they were the same, pathetic lovebirds, but when they were apart, you saw who they truly are. 


	8. I'm Too Young

Chapter 8 - I'm Too Young (Les)  
  
We're too young, we're too young . . . That's all me and Gumdrops hear around this place. Too young for what, I ask? Too young to understand? Too young to be off on our own? True, I do still live at home, but I'm selling papes more than I am at home, I'm on the street more than I'm in my bed, I'm see Jack more than I see Davey, I' here with the newsies more than I'm with my own family. So what don't I understand?  
  
"What do ya want to play?" asked Gumdrops, sitting down with a deck of cards in her hand.  
  
"I'm sick of poker, let's play crazy eights."  
  
"Okay," she dealt out the cards quickly.  
  
"Gumdrops, tell me. Why did you want to fight?"  
  
"I don't know. It would just make me feel like I wasn't a baby to them."  
  
"But you do know that you would get your rear kicked, right?"  
  
"Yeah, but I guess it would've been worth it."  
  
"Ha! Draw four!" I laughed as I put my 2 in the pile.  
  
"Ha yourself! Draw 6!" she giggled as she put down another 2.  
  
"What's going on over here?" asked Racetrack as he straddled a chair next to the bunk we were playing cards on.  
  
Gumdrops rolled her eyes, for her back was against him. "Jist playing cards," she turned over her shoulder.  
  
"What ya playing?" he asked.  
  
"Crazy Eights," I answered, looking up.  
  
He laughed, "How about a game of poker?"  
  
"Nah, we're playing this."  
  
"Okay," he got up and left. We resumed our game quietly, both wondering what the next month will bring. 


	9. A Traitor in the Midst

Chapter 9 – A Traitor in the Midst (Jones-Boy)  
  
"Spot, ya almighty highness!" I mumbled to myself as I kicked a rock that skidded across the ground. "Spot, ya fearless dang leadah of Brooklyn!"  
  
"What're ya mudderin' to yaself ova there?" asked Hawk, trying to keep up pace with me as we walked back to the Lodging House. I just ignored him.  
  
"I wonder what he's stayin' for," he asked, oblivious to me.  
  
"Who cares?"  
  
Hawk looked down at his feet again. Weakling, I accused him silently. Spot Conlon's errand-boy, Spot Conlon's lackey. Spot wasn't going to be on the top forever. I remember four years ago, when I was just thirteen, when Ghost was the leader of the Brooklyn newsies. Ghost was respected and feared by everyone and everything. Never in my life had I heard a newsie talk behind his back the same way I do with Spot. Ghost was the perfect leader, until he made Spot his successor.  
  
"What'd ya staring' off to space about?" Hawk asked, interrupting my thought.  
  
"Nothin'" I answered, irritated.  
  
When we reached the Lodging House, Hawk left me to play poker with Shadow and Cheetah, while I feigned tiredness and went into the bunkroom to go to sleep. A little while later, when I was sure that most of the newsies had gone to bed, I sneaked out the window.  
  
I started waking towards Queens, where the meeting was set to begin. I walked for about an hour before I finally reached the Queens bunkhouse. I walked through the bunkhouse doors and sat down at an old card table which was occupied by the leaders of Queens and Harlem.  
  
"Why if it ain't da Brooklyn Jonesy-boy..." started Blood, the menacing leader of Queens.  
  
"Yeahs, I's here," I answered, refusing to be intimidated.  
  
"What's da news from Brooklyn and Manhattan?" asked Red, ones of the Harlem newsies.  
  
"Since the Brooklyn and the Manhattan guils has been feudin' for as long as anyone can's remembah, they're going's to has a brawl next month between da two."  
  
"Just the guils?" questioned Bloods.  
  
"Yeahs, Brooklyn and Manhattan need each other too much to have da boys fight."  
  
"Good," Bloods nodded. "That's when we'll strike." 


	10. The Way Things Used to Be

Chapter 10 – The Way Things Used to Be (Gumdrops)  
  
"Mouse!" I called after her as I ran to catch up with her, struggling to keep a hold of my papes.  
  
"What Gumdrops?" she asked, while trying to make change for a buyer.  
  
"Can I ask ya a question?"  
  
"Sure," she turned around and eyed me suspiciously as the business man walked off.  
  
"Why are ya so upset about Spot and Jewels?" I asked, coming closer to her. She looked away for a moment, thinking hard. I decided to stay silent and wait for her to answer. A few moments later, she turned back to me with her trademark "I-don't-care" smirk.  
  
"I'll explain. Come n' sell with me." She started walking down the street, beckoning for me to follow her. She started to talk as we were walking.  
  
"When Jewels and I, well, we were just Amy and Elizabeth then... but anyways, when we first came to be newsies, Amy was more like me. Both of us had came from a bad background... and we weren't too trusting I guess..." She looked away again, and said softly, "I guess I'm still like that..."  
  
I could tell that she didn't want to disclose anymore, so I started trying to sell the papes again. "Extra! Extra! Scholars Reveal a Lost Tomb in Egypt!"  
  
Mouse laughed and ruffled my hair. "Kid, you've still got a lot to learn." Then she shouted, "Extra! Extra! Scholars Find Doomsday Tomb in Egypt! The end of the world is coming!"  
  
We laughed as a small crowd came up to us to buy or papes. We sold out quickly and ran off laughing before our buyers realized what we had lied about.  
  
As we walked back into the lodging house, I saw Jewels sprawled out in a chair, looking very day-dreamy. Mouse groaned a rolled her eyes, walking back outside, though none of it was noticed by Jewels. I walked over to her, sitting down in a chair next to her.  
  
"Hiya Jewels," I started.  
  
She sat up, a little started at having her dreams interrupted. "Hiya Gumdrops," she smiled and reached into her pocket. "I has somethin' for ya." She produced a few multi-colored gumdrops from her pocket, and my eyes must have lit up, because she laughed.  
  
"Here, some gumdrops for Gumdrop," she laughed again, handing them to me. I smiled and took them happily.  
  
"Thanks. How did you get these?" Candy was like a precious good to the Newsies, we didn't get it often.  
  
"I sold more papes than usual today, so I thought I'd treat you," she smiled. Jewels was always looking out for me. She was like my newsies big sister, since I didn't get to see my real older sister a lot anymore.  
  
"Jewels, can I ask you a question?" I asked, sitting back down.  
  
"Sure," she nodded. "What about?"  
  
"About you and..." I looked around for a moment to see if anyone was listening. "... Spot." I knew they wanted to keep it a secret, even though I wasn't sure why.  
  
She smiled, dreamily for a moment and nodded. "Sure. What do you want to know?"  
  
I shrugged, not really sure why I wanted to know so badly. "When did ya realize how much you liked him?"  
  
She laughed a little. "Wow... well, um... See, when you love someone, it starts out as being a lot of things under the surface and then one bigger thing comes to bring them out."  
  
I didn't understand. "Like how did it happen to ya'?"  
  
She leaned back and the day dreamy look returned. She didn't look at me; she looked like she was in deep memory. "When I was younger, there wasn't a man or boy on this Earth that I could trust. My father did some bad things to me, so it left me really anti-men, ya' know?" I nodded and she went on, "Even after Jack found me, I couldn't put faith in any guy. I didn't know how to trust, so I didn't care about anyone or anything. The newsies worked on me for a while on that, but me and Mouse were still on our own, at least that's what it felt like. I'd sell with Mouse and Jack most days. Sometimes I'd have to go with a guy or two, thinking back, they probably were trying to do it on purpose, trying to get me to trust them." She smiled a little, "Spot started selling with me sometimes too, and I could always tell that he wanted me to trust him, probably the most of all. One day, I guess ya' could say my past came back to haunt me while I was selling with Spot one day. And he stood there and helped me. He took me in his arms..." she shook her head for a moment and laughed a little, "and for the life of me I can't remember why I let him do it... and he kissed me and told me that everything was going to be okay, that he wasn't going to let anything bad ever happen to me again. I guess it was then that I really knew that this was the boy I had to be with, the guy that was sent to help me get through everything. I knew I loved him."  
  
"It was that simple?" It all sounded so easy.  
  
She shook her head, "No way was that simple. I guess it's kinda different having lived it, and not having listened to it." She smiled, like she understood.  
  
"Gumdrops!" I heard Les call for me from the outside.  
  
"Comin'!" I called back, hurrying out to find him. When I looked back she was still sitting in that same position, and very deep within her own thoughts. 


	11. Men are Scum

Chapter 11 – Men are Scum (Jewels)  
  
Part of me was wondering why Gumdrops was asking so many questions, but the other part was just remembering that day two years ago, the day I could never forget. I smiled to myself, thinking how different, how much better I had become. I leaned back in my chair and started to relive that fateful day two years ago.  
  
"Father no, stop it!" I had screamed, struggling to break free from his strong grip. "Let me go!"  
  
"No! You're coming back home with me. How else am I going to make any money?" He had said drunkenly as dragged me down the street.  
  
I was crying hot, painful tears as the rocks and gravel scraped my sides. He had laughed menacingly, he was proud to have his "debt-payer" back. I had thought that all hope was gone, that I had escaped for nothing but then I heard a calm voice.  
  
"She said to let her go." I couldn't see the voice's owner, but I knew who it was.  
  
"Get out of my way, ya stupid boy..." My father had growled at him. He continued to drag me across the street until I heard a loud crack, the sound of one fist meeting one chin. His hand had let go of me in his own agony and I scrambled to my feet, my hands holding my sides, which were bleeding through my torn shirt. My father had been drunk so he passed out from his beating quickly.  
  
I had closed my eyes, barely able to stand up and Michael took me in his arms and carried me. I must've passed out because the next thing I remember was me lying on a crate in some God-forsaken alley with Michael tying his shirt around my cuts. I had looked into his eyes and he looked back into mine. I almost couldn't believe what I saw. This infamous, menacing leader of the toughest Brooklyn newsies was looking at me so gently and worriedly. "Are ya' ok?" he had asked softly.  
  
I had nodded and sat up, wincing at the pain. "Thank you," I whispered, looking away. I was grateful, I was. But thinking of the life I almost had to go back to... it made me sick to my stomach to look at a male. Then, he had made me turn to look at him. The same rough hand that had clobbered so many insolent newsies now touched my face so gently that I almost couldn't believe it was the same hand. "Will you tell me now? Please?"  
  
I looked at him and then closed my eyes. I couldn't tell him. I had thought then that if I was to tell him, he'd never think of me the same way again. And I didn't want that. It would have killed me then for him to think of me different.  
  
"Please?" Michael had asked again. "I promise I'll listen to ya, and never tell anyone if ya don't want me to." He had taken my hand slowly and held it for a little while, while I considered.  
  
I took a deep breath. I had had to trust him. "My father," I had started a little nervously, "likes to do two things, drink and gamble. Neither of which can he afford." I had looked down, then unable to meet Michael's eye. "He had used me to pay his debts."  
  
He nodded slowly and sat down next to me on the crate. "How did he use ya'?"  
  
I looked down again and blinked away a small tear. This had been the hard part. "I had to do things to the men he owed money to." My voice had cracked a little painfully, "Things I didn't want to do... he made me. I never wanted to, believe me Spot, I didn't want to... They made me do things to them, things I'm not proud of..." My voice had trailed off to make way for my tears.  
  
I had stolen a glance at Michael; he was still looking at me, his face unchanged. My tears came harder and he had wrapped his arms around me, letting me cry on his shoulder. "I'm sorry Jewels. I didn't know, I'm sorry."  
  
I had looked at him, surprised. "You don't hate me?"  
  
He had looked back, returning the same look. "No. Why would I hate ya'? I care about you Jewels." He had stood up and pulled me up with him.  
  
"I care about you too," I had whispered back looking deep into his eyes.  
  
His arms were still around me and he came a little closer. "I'm never going to let anything bad happen to ya' ever again," he had said softly.  
  
I had known it was coming. I think I had known it since he stood up, but it still surprised me. He had leaned in then, and kissed me. My first instinct had been to break it off and run, like I had done so many times before, but before I could, I had noticed something different about this kiss. He had been kissing me as gently as he could, as if he probably knew how I'd react. I began to kiss back softly. Next, I felt something click inside me. I can't explain it, but suddenly, it had felt so right. His arms wrapped themselves around me and he had kept kissing me so tenderly, trying to reassure me that this was okay, that he wasn't going to hurt me. I closed my eyes and immersed myself into his kiss. It was so good, so right. I felt so safe in his arms, like nothing I had ever felt before. I didn't recognize for what it truly was then, but I do now. That was when I began to let myself love Michael. And to this day that feeling has neither changed nor left me.  
  
"Jewels...Jewels..." I looked up and saw Blink and Jack staring at me. "Ya' okay?" Jack asked, still looking at me.  
  
I nodded. "Yeah, sorry I just blanked out for a minute."  
  
Blink nodded. "Well, do ya' want to head down to Tibby's Diner with Jack, Race, and me for some dinner?"  
  
"Sure," I smiled as I got up. 


End file.
